Lost in Time
by Kalissa55
Summary: A human girl is found in a Cardassian escape pod. Who is she, and is she really human?
1. Escape and Rescue

Lost in Time  
By: kalika_55  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek TNG or any of its characters. Original character(s) are mine though.  
  
Ch.1   
  
Escape and Rescue  
  
I lie on the cold metal floor lifelessly as one of my lizard like captors once again used my body to release both his anger and frustration. I don't know how long it's been since I was brought to this place, but since day one I learned to separate my mind from my body, and go into my happier memories. My captor, he didn't like it when I didn't acknowledge his presence or what was being done to me. He liked to see me cry, hear me scream, and feel me squirm under his disgusting touch, but I could care less at this point. Now I could only hope that one day he would go too far, and kill me. Then I would find peace.   
  
Finally he is done with my body, and he leaves me in a pool of my own blood and other bodily fluids. I am once again acutely aware of my surroundings. I feel the smooth texture of the floor, the lubrication my own blood provides as it pools around me. I feel coolness on my skin where my clothes used to be at some point, and I feel the pain all over my body, where it's scraped, bruised and broken. The pain is what lets me know I'm still alive. I want to die, and find peace, but a voice in my head tells me not to give up. I will be saved someday. Even if it's true, that I will be saved someday, I don't want to wait. I want to leave, escape, and leave this horrid place now. Those are the last thoughts that go through my head as I pass out. I probably lost too much blood.  
  
*****  
  
I wake up to the sounds of things falling and rattling as the floor beneath me shakes. I tense myself unconsciously as my injuries are aggravated. Using strength I didn't know I had anymore, I sat up, gathered the tattered remains of my clothing and proceeded to cover myself up as best I could. Once I was 'clothed' I moved towards the only door in the small dark room I was in. I stepped back as the door hissed and slowly opened on it's own accord. It was always locked, and it was the first time that it opened for me. I remember all the times I tried to get out when I was first brought here, and all the beatings I took for my wasted efforts.  
  
I slowly looked outside the door, and saw that there was no one around. Holding onto the walls for support I shakily made my way around, biting my tongue as the ship rattled again, and caused a few scabs to rip open. I don't know where my burst of strength came from, but it seemed to be dwindling. The hallway was starting to look really bad now, sparks were flying and cables and other wires where poking out of the walls. I saw a door ahead of me, and hoped that it would lead to an escape. What I saw inside the door shocked me almost to the point of passing out again. Before me stood three round pods. They looked like giant metal enforced hamster balls.  
  
I heard voices outside the door. It was him! I couldn't let him find me. I scrambled to the giant round things fast as I could with my injuries, hoping I could hide inside. Surprisingly the door was open and I crawled inside. Just as I had seated myself and ducked, panic overtook my senses as the door closed and the sphere started floating! I looked out the window in front of me, just in time to see a lizard man looking at me in shock. He took out something that looked like a gun, and fired it at me. The sphere shook, but it stayed in the air. Just then the wall behind the lizard like man blew up and buried him under a pile of rubble. I smiled at that, glad that he was crushed, but hoping that he wasn't dead yet, so that he could die slowly and painfully as the sparks from torn wires set him on fire, and burned away at his flesh while he screamed in pain.  
  
Too involved in the lizard man, I didn't notice that my sphere had started moving towards a now open door, that lead into space?! I started getting more scared than I already was, but what was out in space had to be better than staying in the cold dark room. I don't know what was happening, but the next thing I know, there's a huge explosion behind me, and the ship I was in had blown up. I realized only now, that I must have been on some sort of a space ship. As a shockwave hit my sphere and knocked me to the floor, blackness consumed me and I was wondering how it was possible to have such a large explosion in the vacuum of space where there was no air.  
  
*****  
  
Star date 43975.2  
  
It had been a long 25 hours, but the day had ended. They were on route to the neutral zone between Federation and Cardassian space. There had been reports that two Cardassian ships had opened fire and destroyed one another. Because the report stated that the battle had taken place in the neutral zone and not in Cardassian space, the federation was obligated to investigate. As the Enterprise got within 1km of the stated location they saw the two ships. What was left of them. The captain had seen enough, and was going to report that there was no threat, when Data the ship's operations officer spoke up.   
  
"Sir. I am detecting a faint distress call on long range sensors."  
  
"Is it a Cardassian, Mr. Data?"  
  
"I can't be positive sir. It is a Cardassian escape pod. No doubt from one of the ships involved in the battle, but I cannot be certain if it is a Cardassian or not. The life signs are too weak and not stable enough."  
  
After listening to what Data had said, the first officer William, Riker spoke up.  
  
"Sir if it's a Cardassian we can interrogate him."  
  
"Yes number one. I too was considering that."  
  
Pausing a moment to think, the captain gave Worf the order to transport the person directly to the ship's sickbay, and to get security over there. After a frustrated growl Worf stated that the life signs were too weak to get a lock on. Not wanting to give up the chance of getting their hands on a Cardassian it was decided that Data would transport over, and slap a comm badge onto the person so that they could be transported to the ship.   
  
*****  
  
The security team in sickbay was ready for a fight when they were told a Cardassian was being transported to sickbay. Even though the life signs were weak, one could never be too careful. Dr. Crusher and her team were also prepared for a struggle, but when the familiar sparks of a transport had left, it wasn't a Cardassian on the table, but a young girl that looked to be 15 or 16 years old. She had so many injuries that some of the security team were starting to look sick, and even Dr. Crusher was looking a bit pale. The doctor immediately started treating the girl while an assistant got security out of her way.  
  
A grueling 14 hours later Dr. Crusher finished treating the girl and was filling out her report. She wasn't even sure where to start. Firstly the girl was barely clothed, but what clothing was identifiable was something that she had never seen. Data was currently running an analysis on the clothing. Almost every body part of the girl was broken, bruised, and violated. Her femur was at some point smashed, she had a broken foot, she had five broken ribs, one that had punctured the right lung. Her left shoulder was dislocated, and the hand had been twisted and broken. She had a head wound, and many other internal and external injuries. The worst injuries were the girl's reproductive organs, which had been damaged beyond repair from repeated rapes. As Dr. Crusher had worked on the girl's injuries, she was glad that she remained unconscious. The girl had so many chemicals in her blood that any anesthetic, muscle relaxant, or painkiller would be lethal. A neural inhibitor was considered, but her brain activity was already so low, that one might actually kill her.   
  
The girl was still unconscious, and there was a big chance that she girl wouldn't make it to the next day, but maybe it would be better for her. She quickly scolded herself for thinking something of cruel. She was a doctor. It was her job to help patients live, not die. As she continued to scold herself, who else but the first officer should walk into her office.  
  
"Commander. Why are you here? I didn't think this patient would be of any concern to you or the captain."  
  
"Well, the captain decided to send me here, see what I can learn of the patient. We want to know how she ended up in a Cardassian escape pod." So, Dr. how is your patient doing?" Said the over confident William T Riker, while walking towards the bed the girl was on.  
  
"I don't know Will. She's been through so much. I don't know much about her, but she is completely human. I don't know how she might have ended up on the Cardassian ship, but no young girl...no human should ever have to end up like this because of a Cardassian or any other means. That's all I can give you for the moment. I was just writing my report before you came in. I'll be sending it to the Captain as soon as I finish it. I also have Data analyzing the clothing the girl was wearing"  
  
At his questioning look the Doctor explained that she had never seen that material before. Satisfied the commander left sickbay and returned to the bridge. 


	2. New Surroundings

Lost in Time  
By: Kalika_55  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek TNG, blah, blah, blah  
  
Ch.2  
  
New Surroundings  
  
It had been 3 days, and the girl had not yet awakened, but to the Doctor's surprise the patient was still around, and some of the wounds were healing at a remarkable rate. Once they had administered a nutritional supplement most of the girl's injuries had started healing at a rate that was too fast for a human, while the rest were healing at a regular pace like a human's. If she kept healing this fast most of her injuries would be fully healed in three weeks. The clothing that Data analyzed showed chronotron particles. That could mean she wasn't even from this timeline! Although the girl was unconscious, there were guards posted at the door, just in case.  
  
*****  
  
It's been 3 weeks and she still isn't awake. What's wrong with her?! Beverly mentally screamed at herself. She hadn't left sickbay in two days, waiting for the girl to wake up.   
  
"The patient won't wake anytime soon," the soft calm Vulcan voice of Dr. Selar muttered. "Possibly weeks, if ever at all. It is not logical for you to remain here and allow yourself to become so exhausted when you are the chief medical officer. What would happen if there was an emergency, and you were too tired to perform the needed procedures? There is no point in staying, you are being highly illogical." She took a breath and continued, "I will not allow you to work under such conditions."  
  
Crusher fought back the urge to laugh. She knew Selar would take it as an insult, but the fact that Selar was giving her, the ship's Chief medical officer, and her superior an order, even with the best of intentions, was more than amusing. Still, under Selar's stern gaze and posture, Crusher didn't have the energy to do argue. So, secretly very much relieved, Crusher left the sickbay.  
  
As she walked out, she saw commander Data waiting patiently waiting outside the doors.  
  
"Data, what are you doing here? " She questioned seriously.   
  
"While scanning the clothing of the girl I have confirmed that the material is from Earth, but certain impurities show that it is not from the Earth we know today. Also debris from the ships we found contained some information of the ships, the crew and the girl."  
  
At this the Dr. tensed up, and told the commander to continue. She was about to lead him to her office when she remembered what Selar had told her. She instead invited the commander to her quarters.  
  
"Why must we speak in your quarters doctor? Is your office not more appropriate for our discussion?"  
  
"Yes Data it is, but I think it would be best that I don't enter sickbay again for at least eight or nine hours." At his questioning look Dr. Crusher quickly silenced him before he had the opportunity to start asking any questions.  
  
Once inside, Beverly sank into her chair and wearily closed her eyes. " Alright Data, what's the report?" She asked  
  
" Our sensors were able to identify the ship, as well as extract some files and personal information."  
  
Crusher's eyebrows shot up. "How much personal information?"  
  
"Mostly on the Cardassian. But we've got some on the girl as well."  
  
Crusher waved the first comment away with her hand. " I don't care about him, tell me about the girl."  
  
"Her name is Lindsay Heeds. She was abducted from Earth around the late 20th century, age when abducted 14, current age 18." He watched for a moment as Beverly's eyes grew wide with shock but continued nonetheless.   
  
"She's been with that, that monster for over three years?! Why was she kept alive so long? What use was she to the Cardassian, and why did no one in the federation know about this?"   
  
"According to the logs that were recovered from the ship the Cardassians had accidentally been temporarily transported to the past by some type of a rift in space. As to why the girl was brought back with them, or why the federation never knew about her is unknown."  
  
"But that's insane!" Crushed objected. "We have spies, they should have said something about this. You don't just interfere with the past like this!" She exclaimed. " And if you're somehow face to face with a situation like the Cardassian ship, in it, you do not disturb it!"   
  
"The prime directive and the temporal prime directive are followed by the Federation. Other races may or may not follow something similar."  
  
Crusher buried her head in her hands. " So what now? What do we do with her now that we've got her? There's no way to take her back."  
  
"No," he agreed, "there's not. And even if there was a way, we'd be-"  
  
"Altering the present and history as we know it," Crusher finished. " We might not even be here, et cetera et cetera et cetera."  
  
"We've also, from the computer scans, obtained entries, detailed entries on what was done to Lindsay. I thought they might be helpful to you."  
  
"Thank you Data. Maybe now I can find out why she hasn't regained consciousness yet."  
  
Data walked out the door. Beverly felt terrible. She didn't have the heart to admit it, but for a doctor to know that compared to the situation their skills are nil, and that all the medical skills at hand are essentially worthless, was an incredibly heart wrenching, and frustrating realization.   
  
"Doctor Crusher?" Nurse Asiko called over the comm badge.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I think you'd better come down and take a look at this."  
  
"Where's Selar?"  
  
"She's looking up files. She said you'd want to see this, doctor."  
  
Concerned Beverly rose to her feet, and headed quickly back to sickbay and into a section that had been blocked off specifically for the girl. Lindsay, she reminded herself. For Selar to 'allow' her back into sickbay after so strongly stating that she needed to get away, she knew this must be serious.   
  
Crusher stepped into the room and hurried to the bio bed. " What's wrong?" She demanded.  
  
Selar moved up to a sensor unit and focused its sensitivity over Lindsay. "Look at this please," she instructed.  
  
Beverly gazed at it casually at first, then stared at it in shocked disbelief. Her jaw dropped as she stared at Selar.  
  
"My god!" She exclaimed weakly. " She's awake! I wonder why she won't say anything, or let us know she's awake."  
  
"Her entire way of life has been taken away. She is unaware of where or when she is. There are many reasons whey she may wish to lead us into believing that she is unconscious." Said Selar, her voice dispassionate and cool as usual. "Look on the bright side, Doctor; she is alive." Selar pointed out, "Of course had she died it would have solved many problems both for her and ourselves."  
  
Beverly simply stared at her.  
  
"It is a logical solution," she asserted.  
  
Beverly clamped her mouth shut determined not to allow the thoughts in her mind to come spilling out of her mouth. After all, she reminded herself dryly, she is only being logical.  
  
"Well, it's good to know she's awake. Let's leave her alone for now. She can let us know she's awake when she's ready. Keep a close eye on her readouts and call me if her condition worsens. I'm going to do a quick report to the Captain, and then I'm going back to my quarters to get some sleep." 


End file.
